Workshop on the World Ocean Assessment

B. Highly degraded region-scale biodiversity for restoration/recovery This analysis used the same dataset as above: 81 parame- ters with condition and trend data assigned at Medium or High confidence level; data on pressures or confidence was excluded. The parameters of Group 2 (46) and 5 of the 6 individual pa- rameters were assigned the lowest scores in the Worst10% of places (Figure A3). Many of these scores (17 of the 51 param- eters) were assigned 0, and the overall average score across these parameters in the Worst 10% of places was extremely low (Very Poor; 1.3). From this set of 51 parameters, 34 were assessed as stable, 12 were considered to be in continuing decline, and only 3 were considered to be improving in condition (sediment inputs from rivers; sediment transportation – shoreline; the frequency, abundance, distribution of algal blooms producing toxins). From this set of 51 parameters, 38 parameters demonstrate both poorest condition in the Worst10% of places and are ei- ther stable (many are in such poor condition that there is no option for further decline) or are continuing to decline. These might be considered as amongst the most urgent targets for restoration/recovery at the region-scale. The 38 parameters include 15 species or species groups, 13 habitats, 9 ecological processes, and 1 physical/chemical process (Table A2).

The processes, species groups and habitats represented in this group are amongst the most regionally degraded components of biodiversity assessed at the workshop. Where the drivers re- sponsible for their current condition are broadly understood (such as heavy fishing pressure, nutrient pollution, local and oceanic pollution by plastics), each will have a spatial distribu- tion within the region that could underpin a strategic approach to restoration activities. The drivers for the ecological processes are probably largely indirect, relating to a broad range of pres- sures and mediated by impacts on various species and habitat groups interacting with physical and chemical drivers, whereas the drivers for degradation of species groups are likely to be proximal and more easily identified for corrective action at a regional scale. Even so, both types of issues would require fo- cussed review and analysis as part of the strategic development of region-wide restoration programmes. The form of analysis presented here reduces the complexity and diversity of biodiversity parameters that need to be criti- cally assessed, and provides a basis for subsequent focused de- velopment of efficient programmes of activity at the region- scale. These could involve, for example: • focused development of the available information base about a selected set of parameters; • development of better cause-effect models linking pressures and their dynamics to impacts on the biodiversity parameters; or • where the causes and spatial structure is already understood to an adequate level, then direct intervention programmes may be designed to deliver remediation/restoration of the identified parameters.

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Condition (Worst 10%)

Trend (Worst 10%)

#

Parameter

Group

Ecological process Ecological process Ecological process

1 1 1

D D D

biological migration, flyways recruitment, settlement genome structures, genetic adaptation nesting, roosting, spawning and nursery sites

2 3

4

Ecological process

1

D

5 6

Ecological process

1 1

D D D D D S S D

feeding grounds

7 trophic structures and relationships Ecological process

Ecological process Ecological process

0.5 0.5 1.5

reef building

10 11 26 27 34 35 45 52 57

predation

Species Species Species Species Habitats Habitats Habitats

shelf & slope squid spp. inner shelf - crustaceans

1 0 0

seagrass species

algae species

0.5

coral reefs not contiguous with shoreline including atolls

0 1 2

S

algal beds Jakarta Bay

Physical, chemical processes Ecological process

S

toxins, pesticides, herbicides

67

1

S

water column, pelagic productivity

8

Species Species

2 0

D S

small pelagics—shelf (0-200m) inner-shelf reef fish assemblages (0-50m)

23

24

Species

0

S

grazers/herbivorous fish assemblages of coral reefs shoreline and intertidal soft sediment invertebrate spp.

25

Species

0

S

28

Species

0

S

shoreline and intertidal rocky shore